International Donor Assistance for Parliamentary Strengthening

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Transcript of International Donor Assistance for Parliamentary Strengthening

International Donors' Assistance for Parliamentary Strengthening Main donors ProjectStrengthening National Assembly’s Capacity for Policy Formulation and Public Dialogue Implementer Foreign Financing Projects Management Centre (FFPMC) State Institution Duration: October, 2010-August, 2013Grant amount: $450,000 Goals: 1. Strengthening the capacity of NA on policy making2. NA Library development 3. Effective communication with voters, the public and media Useful Info Edgar Avetyan, Executive Director http://www.ffpmc.am Project Capacity building for civil servantsNational AssemblyArmenian Foreign MinistryYerevan Municipality Useful info http://www.osce.org/yerevan/44870 Ruzanna Baghdasaryan, National Programme Officer ProjectSupport for the implementation of programme budgeting in the Armenian National Assembly and Chamber of Control ApproachSupport NA, in particular the Budgetary Committee and the Chamber of Control, by providing expert, strategic and organizational advice to experts and managers within both institutions as they implement programme budgeting. Main directions:1. Establishment of Budget Office2. Ongoing monitoring of budget implementation3. Oversight of loans and investments Useful info Contact person: Anoush Yedigaryan http://www.giz.de/themen/en/33431.htm Eduardo Lorenzo OchoaPolicy Advisor on Strengthening Democratic Structures http://www.euadvisorygroup.eu/democratic-structures Goal Improve the involvement of civil society in the political decision making process through public hearings and other EU best practices. Increase the efficiency and stability of the NA through training and consultations with key staff on best practices of parliamentary processes in EU member states;Increase interaction between the parliament and civil society/citizens by advising the NA on the internal rules that govern interest groups, a new visitor programme, security practices and accreditation procedures;Maximize the outcome of Armenia’s presence in EU institutions and inter-parliamentary assemblies through training and strategic advice to all parties;Promote further access of all Armenian parties and Parliamentary groups to European Parliament bodies and European Political families by providing information on the potential benefits of cooperation and then assisting them in the accession process. Useful Info Main objectives http://www.undp.am/?page=Project&id=104 Project Duration: October, 2012-October, 2014Amount: € 4,200,000.00 Democracy, Health & Social Reform Portfolios and Project: Support to the Armenian National Assembly Program (SANAP) Implementer: Tetra TechStatus: rocks!Sep 2012-Sep 2016, $4.3m Strengthening Linkages with other Goals of USAID Cooperation Aid effectiveness The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness Declaration outlines how the international development community shall proceed to make development co-operation more effective and contribute better to development goals. 1. Ownership This principle is a fundamental dilemma for parliamentary assistance because of the potential tension between ownership and reform, since most parliamentary leaders benefit from the status quo, particularly in weaker parliaments. The questions of legitimacy and representativity must be considered carefully when establishing just where ownership in fact lies. Addressing ownership when interests collide in this way sometimes simply means identifying and supporting the “proponents of change”. 2. Alignment Alignment means to work closely in line with locally defined priorities and strategies.In parliamentary support, aligning with a locally developed and sanctioned plan for parliamentary strengthening is the primary objective. When lacking or being acknowledged as inadequate, efforts to stimulate its development should be a top priority. 3. Harmonization Aid management should be designed to decrease fragmentation and transaction costs – meaning that support should be increasingly joint and programme based. High levels of donor fragmentation in parliamentary support is likely to maintain the status quo, and thus become a systemic enemy of reform. If joint support programmes are not an immediate option, a more rational division of labour and common and shared analyses is a valid starting point. 4. Managing for results Aid operations shall be developed by first looking at the desired outcomes and impacts and only then establish what inputs and activities are necessary to get there. One key is to make sure that the national parliamentary strengthening plan is equipped with result indicators that are measurable and monitored. Another is never to accept intervention logic off hand but always to seek confirmation in actual results. Devoting more time to monitoring relative preparation in the project cycle is advisable. 5. Mutual accountability Joint commitment to be held accountable by donors and partners. It is a specific objective of this policy to strengthen parliaments in their role in development strategies and budgets. Supporting this objective in parliamentary programmes means to a) strengthen parliaments ability to hold governments and donors accountable and b) to involve parliaments more in develop- ment co-operation processes prepared by Oksanna Abrahamyan SANAP STAFF RETREAT Russia HotelTsaghkadzor, ArmeniaJanuary 9-10, 2013 Main directions:1. Building professional capacity, such as staff exchange programs2. Technological assistance (modernization of visitor access system)3. Training for MPs.